Tandem mating receptacles

ABSTRACT

An assembly of tandem mated receptacles including first receptacles connected by a web and adapted for bulkhead mounting. A plurality of second receptacles is provided with a removable cover plate and are partially received in mating engagement within the first receptacles. A portion of the first receptacles overlie the cover plate to prevent accidental removal thereof. A tongue associated with the second receptacles is resiliently latched in an aperture provided in the web.

United States Patent Brunet [4 1 June 13, 1972 [541 TANDEM MATING RECEPTA CLES 7 3,471,825 10/1969 Huber. ..339/6l [72] Inventor: Peter Martin Bruner, Mechanicsburg, Pa. Primary Examiner Joseph H Mcclynn Assigneer AMP Incorporated, Ha s g, a- Attorney-William J. Keating, Ronald D. Grefe, Gerald K. [22] Filed: June 12 1970 itzuledenck W. Ranng, Jay L. Sertchrk and John P. Van- [21] Appl. No.: 45,735

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. ..339/91 R, 339/130 C, 339/186 R, An assembly of tandem mated receptacles including first 339/208 339/211 receptacles connected by a web and adapted for bulkhead [51] Int. Cl. ..H01l 13/54 mounting A plurality of second receptacles is provided with a [58] Field of Sarah" 39/91 removable coverplate and are partially received in mating en- 339/207 2 213 gagement within the first receptacles. A portion of the first receptacles overlie the cover plate to prevent accidental [56] References and removal thereof. A tongue associated with the second recepta- UNITED STATES PATENTS cles is resiliently latched in an aperture provided in the web. 3,353,143 11/1967 Pauz'a ..339/128 3Claims,4Drawingflgures T jj I!'- \1 74 2e 78 56 24 PATENTED 1 9 3, 670.289 sum 20F 2 INVENTOR PETER M. BRUNER TANDEM MATING RECEPTACLES FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS According to the invention, a plurality of parallel cylindrical receptacles are connected by a planar web. A second set of corresponding cylindrical receptacles are connected by a planar web and are provided with a cover plate portion providing access to the interior of the receptacles. The second set of receptacles are partially received in mating engagement within the first set of receptacles. A portion of the first set of receptacles overlies the cover plate to prevent accidental removal thereof. A tongue associated with the second set of receptacles latches together the tandem mated receptacles. Among other features of the invention, the first set of receptacles may be externally threaded to receive mounting nuts thereover for connection to a bulkhead. A tab portion may be provided on the cover plate to facilitate its removal thereof. A key and corresponding keyway may be provided to assure proper orientation of the receptacle sets during connection thereof.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide tandem mating receptacles which are readily connected together and latched in mating mutual engagement.

Another object of the invention is to provide tandem mating receptacles which are readily disconnected from one another.

Another object of the invention is to provide tandem mating receptacles with one set of such receptacles mounted to a bulkhead.

A further object of the invention is to provide tandem mating receptacles having one set of receptacles provided with a cover plate resiliently latched thereto.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide tandem mating receptacles which are keyed for proper orientation during mutual engagement.

Other objects and many attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon perusal of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating two sets of receptacles in tandem mating relationship, mounted to bulkhead and receiving therein portions of a manufactured article.

FIG. 2 is a section along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section along the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective of the preferred embodiment ofFIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With more particular reference to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1, an assembly, generally indicated at of a plurality of tandem mating receptacles. With reference to FIG. 1 taken in conjunction with FIG. 4, the assembly includes a first set of generally cylindrical receptacles 2 in adjacent parallel spaced relationship and interconnected by a planar web 4. The first set of receptacles 2 are provided each with a terminal cylindrical end 6 having an internal cavity or recess 8 cylindrical in configuration and extending longitudinally of the receptacles 2. The web 4 is provided with a generally centrally located aperture 10 and an inverted inclined channel 12. One of the receptacles 2 is provided with an internal longitudinal keyway 14.

With reference yet to FIGS. further provided with a second set of receptacles 16 also l and 4, the assembly 10 is generally cylindrical in configuration, in parallel spaced relationship and interconnected by a planar web 18. The second set of receptacles 16 are each provided with a generally centrally located internal annular collar 20 immediately adjacent to a segmented cylindrical portion 22.

As shown with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, the cylindrical segmented portion 22 terminates in a generally U-shaped end wall 24 immediately adjacent to a similar spaced end wall 26 with a generally U-shaped groove 28 therebetween. As shown in FIG. 4, portions of each groove 28 extend laterally to provide notches 30 in the semi-cylindrical sidewall of the portion 22 for a purpose to be described. The web 18 is further provided with a generally central aperture 32 and a projecting cantilever spring tongue 34 provided with an upstanding bead 36. One of the receptacles 16 is provided thereon with a longitudinal projecting key 38.

With reference yet to FIG. 4, there is shown a removable cover plate generally at 40 provided with a plurality of inverted segmented cylindrical portions 42 in parallel adjacent spaced relationship and connected together by a web 44. The web 44 has a projecting tab 46 thereon and a plurality of ridges 48. Additionally, the opposed two sides of each inverted segmented cylindrical portion 42 are each provided with an inverted recess 50 adjacent to an. inverted finger 52.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the cover plate 40 is mounted over the segmented portions '22 of the second set of receptacles 16 with the opposed recesses 50 of each inverted segmented cylindrical portion 42 engaged over the projecting portions of the U-shaped corresponding end wall 24, and the opposed depending fingers 52 of each segmented cylindrical portion 42 registering in the corresponding notches 30 of each segmented portion 22. As shown in FIG. 3, the cover plate web 44 is provided with an inverted L-shaped latch 54 resiliently interlocked in the aperture 32. The ridges 48 provide bearing surfaces upon which manual pressure is exerted to thus interlock the cover plate.

In assembly of the respective sets of receptacles, the second set of receptacles 16 are respectively received in mating engagement within the recesses 8 of respective receptacles 2, as particularly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. More particularly, and as shown in the latter Figure, each of the receptacles 2 is provided with an internal reduced diameter sleeve 56 immediately adjacent to an annular end wall 58. Each corresponding receptacle l6 partially receives a corresponding sleeve 56 therein and abuts against a corresponding end wall 58. The bead 36 simultaneously slidably traverses in the channel 12 and registers in latching engagement in the aperture 10 as shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the ends 6 of the receptacle 2 partially overlie the cover plate 40 to prevent accidental removal thereof. The keyway l4 slidably receives the key 38 to assure proper alignment of the receptacles. Thus, the two sets of receptacles, 2 and 16, may be matingly engaged and latched in tandem arrangement.

If desired, the first set of receptacles 2 may be provided each with a reduced diameter externally threaded end portion 60 which has an internal enlarged diameter recess 62 and a reduced diameter bore 64, in communication with the recess 62 and extending through the sleeve 56. The threaded end portions 60 may then be inserted through respective apertures 66 in a bulkhead 68 and provided thereover with an internally threaded nut 70. The nut may be provided with a generally central aperture 72 in axial alignment with the bore 64. Thus the first set of receptacles 2 may be adapted with the externally threaded nut for a bulkhead mounting.

In an exemplary practical application, the first set of receptacles 2 may be bulkhead mounted as described and adapted to receive an electrical conductor 74 terminated with a male splicing terminal 76. As shown in FIG. 2, each male terminal 76 is retained within a respective bore 64. The receptacles 16 respectively receive therein a conductor 78 terminated with female splicing terminal 80. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the terminals 80 are received within respective segmented portions 22 of the second set of receptacles, and are maintained in position between the collar 20 and the end wall 24. The cover plate 40 is then applied over the tenninals and latched to the segmented portions 22 as described. As shown in FIG. 2, the female terminals 80 partially receive the corresponding male terminals 76 when the two sets of receptacles are matingly engaged thereby splicing together the conductors 74 to the conductors 78. The conductors 74 protrude respectively from the apertures 72 of the respective nuts 70. The conductors 78 protrude from the generally U-shaped end walls 24 and 26 of the second set of receptacles 16.

To disengage the two sets of receptacles, a suitable instrument is inserted into the aperture to dislodge the bead 36. The two sets of receptacles may then be manually separated from each other. The cover plate 40 may be removed by depressing or lifting the tab 46 to lift the cover plate and disengage the latch finger 54 from the aperture 32. This allows removal of the female terminals and associated conductors from the receptacles 16.

Other modifications and embodiments of the invention are to be covered by the scope of the apended claims. For example, one mated pair of receptacles 2 and 16 may be smaller in diameter than the remaining receptacles. This permits only a single combination under which mating can be accomplished.

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly of tandem mating receptacles including:

a plurality of generally first receptacles connected together,

a plurality of generally second receptacles connected together,

tongue means on said second receptacles,

said second receptacles being provided with a removable cover plate,

said first receptacles partially receiving said second receptacles in tandem mating relationship with said tongue means engaged on said first receptacles to retain said first and second receptacles in mating relationship, and

said first receptacles partially overlying said cover plate to prevent accidental removal thereof.

2. The assembly of claim 1 and further including:

threaded end portions on said first receptacle, and mounting nuts threadably received over said end portions.

3. The structure of claim 1, and further including a tab on said cover plate, and an elongated key on one of said second receptacles and a corresponding keyway on one of said first receptacles slidably receiving said key when said first and said second receptacles are in mating engagement. 

1. An assembly of tandem mating receptacles including: a plurality of generally first receptacles connected together, a plurality of generally second receptacles connected together, tongue means on said second receptacles, said second receptacles being provided with a removable cover plate, said first receptacles partially receiving said second receptacles in tandem mating relationship with said tongue means engaged on said first receptacles to retain said first and second receptacles in mating relationship, and said first receptacles partially overlying said cover plate to prevent accidental removal thereof.
 2. The assembly of claim 1 and further including: threaded end portions on said first receptacle, and mounting nuts threadably received over said end portions.
 3. The structure of claim 1, and further including a tab on said cover plate, and an elongated key on one of said second receptacles and a corresponding keyway on one of said first receptacles slidably receiving said key when said first and said second receptacles are in mating engagement. 